


A Better Hero

by Bearixt



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Gen, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Kid Tony Stark, M/M, Pre-Slash, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-14 10:27:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14767839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bearixt/pseuds/Bearixt
Summary: Stephen Strange usually enters the compound using the door like a normal person, but when he uses his circular magic teleportation thing, it was never to bring good news.Steve confirmed this when he appeared in the middle of the compound, a kid in hand that eerily looked like Tony.





	A Better Hero

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kuroainii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuroainii/gifts).



> Literally just finished this a few hours ago, watched some hero academia, took a quick glance the entire thing, and posted. Quite rushed and unbeta'd, all mistakes are my own. Feel free to leave feedback! I'm trying to finish the bingo on time first, so I'll just edit this sometime later.
> 
> For Christelle, who believed in me ~~since we were, like, in fifth grade~~ even if I haven't written fanfics in ages. Come to the stony side already.
> 
> Fill for my stony mcu bingo square S1 'Captain America Fanboy Tony Stark' and 2018 round 1 bingo S4 'vulnerability.'

Pizza crumbs all over the floor, people lounging around, and television playing some show that no one was paying attention to as they chat amongst themselves. This was the scene that Strange arrived to, suddenly appearing in the middle of it all using his circular magic teleportation thing.

“Doctor Strange?”

Strange gave a brief nod to acknowledge Bruce before he turned all of his attention to Steve. Steve stood up from the stool and braced himself for possible world-ending news, ready to bark out plans of actions if needed.

“I will admit that this is mostly my fault, but of course, he also had a say in this. Still, I’m taking the responsibility.”

“I’m sorry,” Steve said, a frown appearing on his face, “I don’t think I understand.”

“I’ll find a proper way to reverse it without harming the vessel, but for the meantime, I trust that you will properly take care of him,” Stephen continued, not bothering to answer his question directly. The way he spoke and his gaze made Steve feel that it wasn’t just a statement, but a confirmation.

He straightened his back. He answered, albeit hesitantly, “Of course, whatever must be done.”

Stephen took another significant look at him before he went back to the still opened portal, and then emerged back with a kid in hand.

“These are good people,” Stephen said softly to the boy, who had his head down since he stepped into the living room. “Your teammates. Stay with them for the meantime while I fix things, okay?”

The kid sharply nodded, and Stephen let his hand go to pat the kid in the head. He stepped back to his magic circle and promptly disappeared.

Everyone was quiet. What were they supposed to do with a kid? Was it Stephen’s? A new mutant?

Stephen specifically talked to him, so Steve thought that he had the most obligation. Also, of course, he was the leader. He crouched down in front of the kid and gave him a small smile. “Hello there. I’m Steve, and you are?”

The kid looked up and Steve did a quick intake of breath.

He spent days sketching it and nights dreaming about it—he would know those brown eyes anywhere.

“Tony?”

Steve heard the collective gasps from the room, but paid them no mind as he stared at the kid in front of him. He _did_ look like Tony, oh god.

The kid nodded slowly. “Hello,” he said before turning his eyes away.

“That’s Tony? How the hell did that happen?” Clint asked, walking toward them. When Steve saw the kid—it was _Tony_ —flinch, he caught Clint’s eyes and shook his head slightly. Clint seemed to understand and he walked back to his place in the couch.

“Tony?” Steve said, and continued when the kid’s eyes were back at him. “Do you know why you are here? Can you tell us what happened?”

Tony shrugged, and the action was so familiar that Steve felt his insides do a funny twist. “The magician doctor said that me and him were doing something. Then I was hit by magic,” Tony said, voice small, but the way he talked had an air of maturity that was out of place with his little body. “He said my real self is older.”

“I thought Tony was in his workshop all day,” Bruce said.

“Boss left five hours ago when Doctor Strange asked for his assistance,” FRIDAY said.

Tony jumped a bit and look around. “Who was that?”

“Hello, tiny boss. I am FRIDAY, an artificial intelligence.”

“An actual AI?” A big grin was forming on his face as he looked at the ceiling. “Cool! Dad made you?”

“No. It was you who created me, boss,” FRIDAY said, and there was something in her tone that Steve can almost call fondness.

“No way!” He was finally showing more spirit. “Did dad knew I made you?”

“I’m afraid he didn’t.”

“Oh,” Tony said, his shoulders hunched. He looked smaller than he already was. “I guess he’s still busy looking for Captain America.”

“And you’re looking at him right now,” Clint said, before Natasha slapped him in the head. “Ow! What was that for?”

Tony whipped his head back to him so fast that Steve was worried he might’ve had a whiplash. His mouth was opened and he had his fists near his chest.

“You’re Captain America? So you’re Steve, like Steve Rogers?”

Tony knew him as a kid. This was uncharted waters. Would it be better to say the truth or not? Steve wasn’t prepared to see the tiny Tony look at him again though, so he went with the first thing that came to his mind. “Um, yes?”

It was like Christmas came early and Tony visibly lighted up, even more than he did earlier. He was all smiles, giddy and bouncing a little, like a fan seeing their idol up close for the first time.

Wait.

Steve sat on the floor. He could crouch all day, but this might take a while, because that can’t be it, right? No way.

“—possible? Did dad find you in the ice?” Tony sat in front of him, legs crossed and slightly leaning forward, still with excitement in his eyes. At the back of his mind, Steve knew that the others were silently watching the entire ordeal with amusement on their faces. Why was he doing this alone again?

Tony didn’t seem to mind that Steve wasn’t able to answer his first question and just continued talking. “I have all first print issues of your comics! Can you sign them for me? I made Aunt Peg sign the issues she was in. She said it was silly but she still signed them.”

Aunt Peg? Peggy? Peggy Carter? Tony knew Peggy?

Steve’s mind was still whirling from all the new information that was taking too long to sink in, but then he saw Tony slump back and it was like an alert went off his brain. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Focus.

“But I guess it will be useless since I’m not really from here.”

“Kid, how the hell can you even really accept that so easily?” Sam asked.

Tony looked back at them and slightly tilted his head. “The magician explained it all to me and showed me proofs that I’m really in 2018. He told me I’m Iron Man. It’s a funny name.”

“I think we’re all forgetting that Tony is a genius, kid or not,” Bruce said. “He did build his first circuit board when he was four. How old are you now by the way, Tony?”

“Seven.”

Someone whistled, and Steve was also impressed, but Tony’s expression didn’t change. “It’s nothing. I just made my first engine, too. Dad said that he could also do one even when he is asleep.”

Bruce frowned. “About your dad…”

“The magician already said that my parents are living away. I already know. It’s okay, I knew they will leave me anyway. Am I living with Jarvis?”

“Yes, Tony.” Steve purposely stopped himself from taking a glance at Vision. “But your dad is wrong.”

“No, he’s not. He was busy finding you because he said that you’re better than me and you can inspire me to do good things! You are my hero.” Tony flashed him a small, shy smile. “I wore a Captain America uniform once for Halloween.”

“That’s—” Steve swallowed the lump in his throat and gave him a smile of his own that he fervently prayed didn’t look too forced. “That’s really great, Tony.”

“I want to be like you someday. I want to be good and helpful! I want to make dad proud. But oh…” Tony hugged his knees and looked down the floor. “I’m already old now. I’m Iron Man, right? Am I good?”

Steve ignored the “oh my god” and a sniff coming from the couch, and steeled himself to not crumple before the genius who was now looking at him through his bangs.

“You are good—no, you’re better than good. You are amazing, Tony. You are a hero.”

“A hero like you?”

“A hero that is better than me.”

Tony giggled. “I don’t think anyone can be better than Captain America.”

Steve couldn’t stop himself. He hugged Tony and closed his eyes, who was frozen for a second before he hugged him back. Even when he felt Tony shift back to his original size, Steve just wrapped his arms tighter.

“Uh, Cap? What happened and why are you hugging me?”

Steve did one more squeeze before he let go, but kept his hands on Tony’s shoulders. “You are an amazing person and no one, not even Howard if he was alive, can convince me otherwise. Okay?”

Pink was dusting across Tony’s cheeks before he leaned back and raised his hands. “Woah, wait, hold up. What the hell?”

_Swish._

Steve looked up to see the fiery circle being made, and a second later, Stephen appeared. He stared at the two of them, still sitting on the floor, and nodded. “It is done.”

“Strange!” Tony said, scrambling to stand up and approach the sorcerer. “Weren’t we just in your sanctum?”

“We were, but now we’re not. It’s good to see you back.”

“What does that supposed to mean—hey, Strange, don’t you dare step on that or I will—” Tony sighed. “And there he goes. Friggin’ sorcerer supreme. Or more like, asshole supreme.”

Tony turned around and looked at all the occupants of the room, who were all back to chatting, eating, and watching TV. Except for Steve who was still sitting on his ankles.

“You looked like a kid whose lollipop was just stolen by somebody who licked it all before returning it back to him,” Tony said, and Steve chuckled. Out of all the comparison that Tony could’ve used…

He stood up and walked toward Tony, giving him another hug and a smile.

Tony shuddered. “Okay. Creepy. I feel like I missed something important, and you are all acting too _normal_ that it’s suspicious.”

He took out his phone and double tapped the screen. “FRIDAY? Rewind the past few minutes please.”

**Author's Note:**

> Supposedly, there would be a scene wherein Kid!Tony turns to Teenager!Tony and Strange would pop in and say “oops, wrong one” then disappear.
> 
> There might be a part two (somehow someday) to this; pre-slash tag is there for a reason. And I really still want to see Teenager!Tony. You know, the one that disliked Captain America and realized how much of a dick Howard is. My muse hopefully won't leave me.
> 
> Drop me a prompt, a message, or just a keyboard smash at [Tumblr](https://bearixt.tumblr.com)! Thanks for reading. :>


End file.
